Really sorry to hear that, Halgor. I vote that we bot Halgor for the time being. Maybe RL will calm down and you can return later. We really can't afford to proceed without a cleric and now's a tough spot to introduce a new character, anyway, right?

I too am sorry to hear that. If things should clear up before we get through Thistletop, you're welcome back. In the meantime, yeah, let's NPC Halgor - I'll have you guys run him the same as Shalelu.

Lamsfel:

Your sharp elf ears easily pick up the sound of feet - probably two sets - running up to the gate on the far side. They come to a stop immediately opposite you on the other side of the gate, and you hear wood scraping, as though the gate is being unbarred.

You will have just enough time to signal your allies, but not much more beyond "enemies!"

Abruptly, the massive gate booms open, revealing two more goblins, each wearing studded leather armor and carrying vicious-looking horsechoppers. They screech in rage, but Shalelu interrupts their shouting with an arrow.

Lamsfel and Tristan, please give me Stealth checks. Regardless of the result of those rolls, you two have cover at the moment. Gan, it's probably worth noting that Tristan is no longer between you and the goblins. Also, horsechoppers have reach.

Okay, since only one of you is hidden from the goblins, I'm going to skip the surprise round to keep things moving. Until you act, though, Lamsfel, you are considered essentially invisible from the goblins.

Goblin initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Looks like everyone but Shalelu got the drop on the goblins, so go for it.

Lamsfel and Tristan are behind the open gates to the southwest (left) and northeast (right), respectively; more or less directly in front of the gates are Tybus, Halgor, Shalelu and Gan, with the latter two a step behind and a step to the left and right respectively from the other two. None of you are more than 20 feet from the goblins, although Lamsfel and Tristan do not have line of sight to them because of the doors.

Per Shisumo, Shalelu has a clear line of fire. You are behind and beside Halgor and Tybus. She is the same, but on the opposite side.

From the description of positions, I think Halgor is on the right near Gan.

Halgor will step forward 5', raise his battleaxe in his left hand, and bellow, "C'mon, you ankle-biters! Receive the gift of Torag!" With his right hand, he flings another acid dart at the goblin that Shalelu did not shoot.

Seeing an opening, Tybus will step up within the goblins' reach (I understand that they can't make AOOs if they're flat-footed; here's hoping they don't have Combat Reflexes) and take a swipe at the injured one with his cutlass.

Gan's magic wraps around the mind of the goblin warrior, and it struggles to escape the terrifying visions. Will save 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6 Unfortunately for it, however, all it can do is stand there and tremble.

Tybus Elhezen wrote:

(I understand that they can't make AOOs if they're flat-footed; here's hoping they don't have Combat Reflexes)

Yeah, about that...

As Tybus closes in, however, the other strikes out with surprising speed, seemingly more prepared for the sailor's assault than he would have guessed. At least Gan kept you from taking two AoOs... horsechopper attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20, damage 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Even as Tybus' own blow falls short, though, Lamsfel's stealthy slash ends the goblin's life, and a moment later, Tristan does the same for its still-frozen ally.

80 more XP for you, and another round's worth of actions. I'll get an updated map up tonight or tomorrow morning.

Halgor will step back to the end of the bridge to avoid healing any goblins before channeling energy, specifically targeting Tybus.

1d6 ⇒ 6

Shalelu and Lamsfel both move just inside the gates, he going left, she going right, and pressing themselves against the inner walls before they use their low-light vision to study the interior.

Lamsfel's Perception 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

Shalelu's Perception 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11

Anyone:

If you want to run one of our NPC's, let me know. I mostly wanted to make sure that we don't stall waiting for someone else to post for them. I don't mind running them, but I'm not greedy - if someone else wants to, just pipe up.

Hopefully Halgor caught Tristan in the channeled energy, since I think he had a couple scratches from the firepelt cougar. (And Lamsfel, you're doing great. Let us know if you feel overwhelmed handling three characters.)

Tybus looks bewildered for a moment, the pain of the deep gash from the goblin suddenly disappearing, making him wonder if he hadn't imagined it. But no, he sees the rend in his tunic where the horsechopper caught him. Me thanks, mate, he grins to Halgor.

Tybus juggles a bit with the items in his hands and pulls out a scroll. With a command, he activates the magic contained within, then lets the spent parchment float away in the wind. Shield

The large courtyard is open to the sky; tenacious clumps of grass, trampled by goblin feet for decades or longer, still manages to grow fitfully here and there. The hard-packed earth beneath your feet is stained in places with blood and torb by deep furrows in others. To the north, two dead goblins lie slumped at the entrance to an outbuilding.

To your left, a door bursts open and three goblins, waving dogslicers and reeking of pickle juice, burst through it into the courtyard. Their expressions are half fury and half wary fear, but they shriek battlecries and prepare to charge nonetheless.

Tybus, Lamsfel and Gan can take actions. Per the map, the goblins are in the squares just in front of the doors on the west side of the courtyard; per your pervious actions, only Lamsfel and Shalelu have entered the courtyard proper, while Tybus and Tristan are just outside, with Gan behind them and Halgor back right next to the end of the bridge.

Also, the coming weekend is going to be a serious beatdown for me; I likely won't be posting until at least Monday morning, and maybe Tuesday morning if I really get kicked around.

Again, Gan could hear the voice in his head, prodding him forward. His unseen ally warned him of the impending danger moments before the goblins arrived. The old man moved around behind his friends and droned the words of a spell, weaving a suggestion into the fabric of the magic.

Leave here in peace

Gan casts suggestion on the three goblins and will make the bolded suggestion above to those who fail their save. They get +2 to their saves because it's during combat, so the effective difficulty for the WS is 13.

Again, Gan could hear the voice in his head, prodding him forward. His unseen ally warned him of the impending danger moments before the goblins arrived. The old man moved around behind his friends and droned the words of a spell, weaving a suggestion into the fabric of the magic.

Leave here in peace

Gan casts suggestion on the three goblins and will make the bolded suggestion above to those who fail their save. They get +2 to their saves because it's during combat, so the effective difficulty for the WS is 13.

Number of HD of goblins affected: 2d4

Needed a 3 or higher on 2d4 and got a 2. That's what I get for celebrating my good dice. Totally jinxed myself. :-)

I was hoping to find out if Gan's magic is successful; it looks like he can (at most) affect two of the goblins if they fail their saves. I suppose that I might as well attack whatever one doesn't succumb. I'll make sure to leave a clear path for any that feels motivated to leave the fight.